Obstacles
by DarkBelieverAnge
Summary: A series of one shots and prompts given to write that show obstacles that both Laurel and Oliver face on their quest to get each other's love. Laurel x Oliver prompts wanted and welcomed! Reviews appreciated.
1. Mourning

_**A/N: I got a couple of prompts probably more than a month ago (and I'm sorry for making you all wait this long… having slow internet sucks), but here's the first of two:**_

_**Prompt: When CNRI is tumbling down, have Laurel figure out Oliver is the Hood. **_

_**So, here we go!**_

_**If you like it, leave a review!**_

Her breath stopped in her lungs when she saw the building crash in front of her. She screamed his name out over and over. Her limbs forgot their feeling and she crashed into the ground as her father's arms encircled her. Her father sank to the ground with her, but didn't see the shadowed figure with a helmet running into the falling building. Laurel pointed and her father drew her into his arms.

She saw someone walk from the wreckage and the helmet turned toward her. The man shook his head and walked away from the scene. Laurel cried out and saw black.

.

The funeral was not a joyful day. The sky was black with a storm raging outside and the priest kept his monotone speech up for over an hour about the different deeds Malcolm Merlyn committed for the better of the city. Oliver hated every second of it.

He glanced at the woman beside him. Her pale face kept leaning on his shoulder. He tightened his hand on hers every once in a while, more out of anger than grief. They had grieved privately two nights before in his home.

_He had winced while walking into his room. His muscles were exhausted from the stress and anxiety resulting from his disastrous night. The city was safe, but the sacrifice it took brought a bad part of him out. _

_Oliver paused when he saw Laurel curled up in his bed. He looked around for her father, but saw her slowly rise from a sleeping position. Her voice was rough when she stated, "We need to talk, Oliver."_

_He nodded in the darkness and quickly turned a light on. He watched her get out of bed, walk over to him, and then do something that surprised the shit out of him. She hugged him close. Before he could get his arms around her, she pulled back and slapped him hard on the cheek. Twice. _

"_You asshole!" she shouted. He saw the tears running down her cheeks and offered no resistance to her as she tore off his regular clothes. She touched an injured rib and he groaned. Her hands ceased their pursuit and her gaze turned serious. He smiled in an attempt to distract her from seeing the gauze and wrappings. "Oliver, what happened?"_

_Oliver's lips pursed and he slowly sat himself down on one of the chairs in his room. He rubbed his head and Laurel slowly sank into the seat across from him. "You don't want to know the truth."_

"_You looked at me that night two weeks ago. It took me this long to put the pieces together." she got up and paced in front of him. "You were the original person to warn me to stay away from the Glades that night. You always showed up during a high stressed case and I would get a call twenty minutes after you left from the Hood. You never asked how one of my cases was going at work. Tommy quit because he found out, didn't he?"_

_Oliver sucked a deep breath in. his hand shot out to Laurel and he dragged her down on top of him. He rubbed small circles in her back while he told her everything. He finished, "I guess you're in the circle of people who can get hurt now."_

_She kissed him. He stopped himself from responding long enough to feel her pull back and look at him in the eyes. She smiled tenderly at him and cupped one of his cheeks with her hand. "I love you, no matter what form you take."_

_He laughed and cuddled her closer. She smiled and snuggled against his chest. "At least I don't have to worry about another woman."_

_He blanched and she looked up at him. "I forgive you, Ollie."_

"_She's still a big issue to deal with," he stated. He smiled sadly. "I faced death more than I want to count on that island, but I have nightmares of the night that everything went down. I see her face when I close my eyes. She's a ghost I can't get rid of."_

_Laurel twisted her body so that she faced him directly so that her knees were by his hips. He grinned lecherously at her and she shook her head at him. "We'll go to couple's therapy if you want."_

_Oliver laughed at the thought of both of them sitting next to each other on a leather couch spilling every decent and indecent secret to a therapist. He struggled to keep a serious face as he said, "No shrink wants what's going on up here."_

_Laurel gazed at him seriously. "No, but we can work through it together."_

"_Well, a five year break finally made me serious enough to commit," Oliver joked. Laurel kissed him again. He took in a deep breath. "I seem to take everyone that matters to you away."_

_Laurel felt tears run down her cheeks and saw his eyes tear up in response. She met his eyes and wiped the tears away. "We'll get through it, Ollie. You've survived so much that I know you and I can weather this out."_

_Ollie nodded and collapsed his forehead on hers. She kissed his cheek while he cried into hers. She held him until his tears subsided and kept him safe while he slept. _

_._

Laurel tightened her grip on his hand while the priest moved to Tommy's eulogy. Oliver glanced down at her and they nodded together as the priest called them up to speak. Oliver cleared his throat and laurel clasped her hands in front of herself together. "I was asked to speak about Tommy, but I could only tell you one side of him. Oliver and I called Tommy our best friend and we wanted to tell you our favorites memories of him."

"When I came home, Tommy showed up at my house, gave me a gigantic slap on the back, and asked me where we were headed that night. We started our friendship right where we'd left it. Tommy was a deeply loyal friend and I will always be grateful for that," Oliver stated quietly. He didn't tell the crowd about the time he'd found Tommy in a bathroom within an inch of his life on his twenty-first birthday or any other disastrous night on the town.

Laurel smiled and looked at Oliver. He nodded his assurance and Laurel spoke, "Tommy would always joke that the three of us were a trio. Every important memory of us growing up is as a group. It wasn't until Oliver disappeared that we didn't know how to function as a pair rather than a trio. It took almost a year after Ollie's supposed death that Tommy admitted to me that he was finally over his grief. We lived off of each other every day after that. He became a part of my life I couldn't imagine living without."

Laurel took a steadying breath while Oliver continued, "One time, when we were younger, I'd been thrown from a horse by accident. Our fathers came running over and Tommy told them that I fell off of a fence because he'd pushed me instead of letting them know I'd been riding the horse they'd told me not to."

The people in the church laughed and Oliver grinned. "He was always my partner in crime and my redeemer. Whatever trouble we got into, I could always count on Tommy to get me out of it."

"He was a rock for both of us and we will miss him dearly," Laurel finished. Everyone applauded gently and they went back to their seats. Laurel wiped tears from her eyes and squeezed Oliver's hand reassuringly.

Oliver leaned down and whispered, "I love you."

Laurel whispered the same thing back. He smiled as she leaned her head down on his shoulder. He felt Diggle's questioning gaze, but kept the broad smile on his face the rest of the tense day.

_**A/N: The first of two prompts is done! I hoped you enjoyed it! Leave a review because I'm open to any form of constructive criticism or just letting me know you had fun reading the story is amazing! If you have a prompt for me, leave me a PM, or you can go on my tumblr page (username is darkbelieverange) and give me an ask **___

_**Until Next Time,**_

_**DBA**_


	2. Never Fear

_**A/N: I decided to write these two prompts together, so they're published back to back and people don't have to wait for them. This prompt was directed to Oliver's thoughts during the love scene between him and Laurel.**_

_**I don't normally say this, but I recommend people to listen to: "Tough Lover" by Christina Aguilera, "Beautiful Soul" by Jesse McCartney, "Let Me Love You" the Glee version, and finally "More than Love" by Los Lonely Boys (one of my favorite songs lol). **_

_**I found that the songs really helped set the mood (clichéd saying, I know) for the story and just wanted to share that tidbit with you.**_

_**Enjoy!**_

He gazed down at Laurel's expectant face as his hand lowered from the door. He didn't expect his feet to lead him here (he knew they would). She gazed at him and as he told her words he never expected would surface from the back of his brain, her expression turned tender. His heart skipped a literal beat as she reached up toward him. Her confession made him crazy. He didn't know if he could control everything in his microscopic world once he admitted his innermost feelings.

Time ceased for him. as he lifted her up and carried her back to her room, Oliver's mind reverted to its instinctual manners. As he always reacted when she was near, every intentional thought flew out of his head. She smiled that one smile that sent a fire down his entire body and he was lost.

Oliver Queen, a man who escaped Death's clutches over one hundred times, felt his hands shake. He sent his thanks to gods he didn't know existed at that moment. he succumbed to his second nature and the intent on making her remember why she was his.

.

Laurel curled up beside Oliver and touched his tattoo on his chest. She gazed at it for a long moment before stating, "So much has happened to you."

Oliver laughed quietly and glanced down at her. "I'll tell you when the right time comes."

"Whenever you're ready, you mean," Laurel retorted. Oliver chuckled and gave a small nod. Laurel gripped his hand and turned her body back over. "When you become ready, I'll be here to listen."

oliver was stunned at her blind trust in him. he knew on a deeper level that they were still going to have to deal with the issue of her sister's death on his hands. Laurel sighed and pulled him tighter around her body. He gazed down at this woman and was perplexed. She unmanned him at every turn, but still was willing to pick the pieces up for him. She hated him on one breath and loved him on the next.

She was not a woman who loved easily. She plunged herself into the experience, that was true, but she held every piece of herself back until she was completely immersed in a blanket of safety and love. He wondered if she realized that he fell for her the same exact way she fell for him.

The first time, he'd been caught completely unaware and commitment scared the shit out of him. After his five-year stint in hell, he was ready to commit more than she was willing to yet. He knew that she'd know his stability and sanity were hers. Everything he was belonged to her. Every breath he drew, every drop of blood and sweat he created, and every life he protected was because he was hers.

He'd faced Death's door many times on that island and came back from visiting the Grim Reaper because he had something to live for. He wasn't going to let anyone or anything harm her, even himself.

_**A/N: I decided to make this one short because I didn't really know how to convey his emotions longer than 500 to 600 words. I hope you liked it! Please leave a review! **_

_**Until Next Time,**_

_**DBA**_

_**P.S. If you want to hit me up with a prompt, I'll write something! Thanks, guys! Love you all! **_


	3. Pictures

_**A/N: Thank you to spolce12122015 for this chapter's idea! I hope you like it **_

_**Prompt: Laurel finds the photo and Oliver has to explain what it means to him.**_

_**Disclaimers: No characters or settings belong to me, but rather the DC Comics Universe and their creators. **_

_**Boring notes are over, so please enjoy!**_

Laurel sat in Oliver's bed with a handful of files in her lap. She smiled at his body covered in a short towel. She howled with laughter as he playfully tossed it aside and put on athletic shorts. "You really shouldn't give up your day job."

"Not magical enough for you?" he joked. She blushed. Laurel made a face at him and slipped out from under his very expensive bed sheets. She looked around the room, once again familiarizing herself with each corner of the room, when something caught her eye. Oliver walked over to his walk in closet, where he stored all his clothing, and Laurel walked over to one of his small tables. Next to his wallet was the picture she'd given him five years ago, right before he went on the cruise. She carefully picked up the tattered and bruised photo.

He walked up behind her. His hands came around her body to set on the table. She couldn't say anything to him, but just turned. His eyes were a cold green as he gazed at the picture in her hands. She waited a moment and then put a tense smile on her face. "What is this about?"

He didn't answer her but tenderly took the photo from her. He looked down at the picture for a long moment and then back at her. "I guess I forgot to put it back."

"I didn't think you'd still have It." She voiced her contemplations. Oliver shrugged. His face showed disinterest and desire to change the subject. "You kept it with you on the island, didn't you?"

"I don't want to talk about It." he walked over to the bed and pulled his side of the sheets down. Her files moved slightly as he made himself comfortable under the covers. Laurel crossed her arms. She frowned at him and began to walk toward the bed, but stopped.

"You never want to talk about the things that we need to," she accused. Oliver sighed and leaned against the pillows. "You opened up to me that night, but you haven't since Tommy died. I need more than this, Ollie."

"What do you want me to do? Do you need to hear that every gruesome experience on that island was one more reason why I had to make it back to you? Does it help that you were the reason I survived hell for five years?" he whispered angrily from the bed. Laurel moved her files from the bed to the bed stand and walked around to his side of the bed. She sat on the edge and took his hand.

"Yes, it does. You need to trust me in order for our relationship to really work." Laurel sighed. She brushed a tear from her cheek and then looked sadly at him. "There's been so many things that hold us back. I want all of you. I want you to need me."

He laughed coldly and Laurel felt his entire body tense. He squeezed her hand. "I'm not going to tell you every little detail. You shouldn't hear them. Things I've seen and done are something that you never want to hear come out of my mouth."

"Like what, Ollie?" she asked quietly. He laughed and wished desperately that he could hold her picture as a silent reassurance. It'd become like a relic for him, something holy that he could pray with during hellish times.

"I unwillingly killed people, Laurel. You don't recover from committing an act like that. Every day on that island my soul sacrificed itself a tiny bit more. Each thing I did for survival killed off my soul. I'm not an innocent man." He laughed bitterly. He wasn't surprised to hear Laurel get up and move toward the door.

She paused and gazed at him for a long moment. "But you survived. Sometimes we're put into situations that others can't understand. Yours was a literal deadly situation and you handled it. Deep down, I know you're still that boy I loved."

"I'm not that pompous fool anymore," he seethed. She smiled at his rage. He walked over to her. He looked down at her menacingly. She laughed in response.

"You're someone who would do anything to protect his family and friends. You aren't very good at lying, but your heart pays up for it. You would never hurt those you love intentionally, but when they hurt you, you can't help but put a wall up. The playboy exterior is nonexistent now because you don't need that persona to operate whatever you're hiding from everyone else." Laurel took a deep breath in and nodded.

She walked back to the bed and drew the covers around her side. "Well, when you're ready, I'm tired. Goodnight, lover."

Oliver stood in the dark room after Laurel turned off the light for an hour. His turbulent thoughts didn't stop until his phone beeped. He read the text, walked over to Laurel, and quietly kissed her cheek. He walked into his closet and changed. Before he left, he took the photo with him.

He never saw her smile in the darkness.

_**A/N: I hope you enjoyed it! Leave a review!**_

_**Until Next Time,**_

_**DBA**_


	4. Frats and Dates

_**A/N: This is a random AU for how I think Oliver and Laurel could have transitioned from friends to boyfriend/girlfriend. It's probably a long shot, but that's the **_**_miracle of fanfiction, right?_**

**_All characters belong to the DC Universe and respective owners, not me etc._**

**_Please leave a review 3 _**

She was at a point in her life where she didn't want boys, breakups, or romance to cloud her judgement. She needed a clear head to focus on her studies. but, that didn't mean she wasn't dragged on the spontaneous occasion to go out for a long night on the town _Which is one of the many reasons she loves him but can't tell him._

Her head is starting to ache from the sentence she has been reading for the past five minutes. She couldn't concentrate and everything went down the drain as soon as she saw her sister's name flash on her phone. "What do you want?"

"There's a party tonight and I need a wingman," her sister's voice pleaded. Laurel sighed and rubbed her temple again. Normal Friday nights for Sara meant that she'd go to the frat house, get roaring drunk, and then start all of it again Saturday afternoon. Laurel looked at her frustrating reading and gave a long sigh.

"When do you need me?" she asked quietly. She heard Sara's squeal and then a guess of about fifteen minutes. Laurel nodded and hung up on her sister. She packed all of her books back up and made her way back to her apartment. Her roommates were out at the moment, thank God, when she opened her door for her sister to walk in. sara smiled at her excitedly.

"The other girls bailed on me. I mean, they seriously ditched me for that yacht party Tommy's throwing. How superficial is that?" she shook her head as Laurel set all of her things on her bed. "What are you going to wear tonight?"

"Probably something simple," Laurel replied and pulled out a skirt and top. Her sister nodded her approval. She chatted about her day while Laurel changed. The only thing required of the older sister was to stand and nod.

"I heard Ollie's off the market again," Sara said while she ran a hand through her hair as she examined her reflection in Laurel's bathroom mirror. Laurel just nodded and pulled her hair down. "I hope he finally notices me."

Laurel picked up a discarded purse and shoved all of her essentials into it. "All right. Lets go. I'm ready to dance the night away."

Sara smiled and giggled as they made their way to the frat house Oliver Queen frequented. Sara walked up and flirted with the guy watching the door. They exchanged banter as per Sara's custom and he ushered them in. he stopped Laurel briefly to whisper, "He's upstairs… it's the fifteenth drink in the last two hours."

Laurel sighed and smiled her thanks. Sara pulled her through the door of the loud frat house before Laurel could continue the conversation. Sara made her way through the crowd to the open bar. Laurel walked toward the stairs and gazed around at the drunken revelry happening. It had been her scene every weekend a couple of years ago. When she finally asked herself what she wanted… everything stopped as that dream became her new goal. She dedicated everything she could because she wanted to become a lawyer with a passion that surprised almost everyone she knew.

Laurel cautiously walked up the steps and saw someone breathe a long sigh of relief at her presence. "He's at the end of the hall… something bad happened 'cause he showed up drunk."

Laurel heard a couple of giggles and moans from the different bedrooms she passed. She walked to a second floor living area in the gigantic house and saw Oliver leaned over a pool table. no one else was in the vicinity, so she grabbed a stick. "Can I join?"

He looked at her and gave a nod. She watched his uneven movements as he set up a new game. he motioned for her to break. She did effortlessly and then said, "I'll take colored."

"Whatever," he mumbled and drank something from a glass she hadn't seen. Laurel sighed and purposely missed her first ball. He laughed at her mistake. "What do you want, Laurel?"

"To screw your brains out. What else?" she smartly stated. He roared with laughter and set his butt on the spot where she needed to line up the stick and the cue. She rose up and gazed at him.

"I never could turn you down," he ventured. Her eyebrow rose and he grinned at her. "We were each others' firsts, remember?"

"The awkward sex that lasted for five minutes? I forgot all about it," she responded. He grinned at her attempt to hide her feelings. "If I got trapped with you again, I'd demand commitment from you."

"Maybe I'm ready," he whispered in her ear. She shoved him away, but his face came level with hers. He smiled at her. his head rested on her shoulder. "I need a distraction, baby."

"I'm not a two night stint, Oliver," she whispered. He nodded and brought his arms around her waist. He pulled her closer. He breathed in her scent of soap and tulips. She calmed him and it was his ultimate addiction. He needed a change. He wanted her and only her… even if he didn't know he could give up his lifestyle right now.

"I'm serious… for once in my life. I want you more than anything else," he confessed. He straightened and grabbed her hand. "Lets go on a date. You'll drive."

They walked through the crowded house. Oliver nodded to various people. laurel spotted Sara by the bar making small talk with the bartender. Laurel didn't have time to yell her goodbye as Oliver dragged her through the house.

As everything else that Oliver started, he put every effort into their relationship. She fell for him completely after three months. He was an intense flame that no amount of water could put out.

Laurel knew when everything was over, he'd break her heart into a million pieces.

_**A/N: I hope you liked it! Leave a review if you want!**_

_**Until Next Time,**_

_**DBA**_


	5. Muggers and Hospitals

_**A/N: I feel like a big ass to everyone. I am so sorry I haven't been involved in a long while. I moved in August and have been adjusting to new things and when that happens, fanfiction tends to take a back place forever. But, I decided to post a couple of chapters before the new season premiere. **_

_**I got a couple of anonymous requests via tumblr and want to tackle them one chapter at a time. **_

_**First request: **__**Hey can you please do a lauliver fic where laurel finds out Oliver is the hood and he starts to ignore her to protect her but then realizes he loves her but laurel gets mugged and gets stabbed.**_

_**I hope you like it!**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own anything except my plot. Characters/settings are DC Comics property.**_

"Ollie!" she shouts into the phone for the one-thousandth time. She has come to the conclusion, once again, that men are insufferable when they think they're saving a woman from a fate too dangerous for her to contemplate. Men were useless. Men were impatient and idiotic. Oliver Queen was the king of all the witless, brainless, nonsensical, and infuriating parasites.

He stopped talking to her three weeks ago. She fought with him about his alternate identity and he ran. He scurried out of her life with his tail between his legs. If she thinks clearly, she knows in her heart he is trying to protect her. She's pissed at him. he doesn't even acknowledge her at society functions. she is an air molecule to him and it breaks her heart every time she sees those cold eyes glaze over her.

To retaliate, she starts working overtime. She isn't in a relationship. She doesn't need to focus on the fact that her bed is cold and empty. She refuses to acknowledge that she knows he follows her to make sure she's safe. She hates herself for missing his impromptu lunch dates. Right now, she loathes his very existence.

She walks home late most nights. She closes the office even after the cleaning staff leaves. She never pays attention. Her mind concentrates on all her extra cases. She wants to admit she normally notices a change in the alley she cuts down every night to make her trip home quicker. This time, she doesn't.

She feels someone creeps up behind her and draws her to their body before she can react. Metal slides against her neck in the cold night. The person whispers into her ear, "Give me your valuables and I won't kill you."

She automatically reaches for her purse. She blinks her eyes a couple of times as the person takes her wallet. The knife travels down her body to her chest. The attacker breathes on her neck and she winces.

"Sorry, but I gotta make a living." She never feels the knife enter. She collapses on the sidewalk. The assailant runs down the alley into the darkness. She clutches her chest and reaches for her phone. Her mind goes blank as shock comes over her. Her hand automatically dials a number. A voicemail is heard.

"Ollie… please help me… I need you… please." She drops the phone onto her chest and takes a shallow breath. Her world starts to fade. A prayer forms on her lips for the first time in five years (if she were honest she'd admit she prayed every day for a year after she heard Ollie and Sarah died).

Tears stream down her cheeks. She feels the blood flow over her fingers that are pressed into her wound. _Please, someone help me._

Her eyes close and she takes one last breath.

.

His heart lurches the first time in months. He paces outside her office to make sure she comes out. He has been waiting for over an hour. She is never this late. He glances at a street clock. He curses and walks down one rooftop.

His cell rings and he gazes at it. he curses and answers it, "What?"

Felicity rambles off something about a woman calling his number and the address of where her phone is. He looks at the street and curses. He hangs up and races down an alleyway.

He sees her in a pool of red. Her bag is on the other side of the alleyway. Her white blouse is soaked from the blood. Her eyes are closed. He checks her pulse. He can't think straight until he feels a faint rhythm. He dials her father's number from her phone. When he picks up, and no one answers back, Oliver knows the detective won't stop until Laurel is safe.

He keeps pressure on her wound until he hears the sirens. He gazes down at her once more and runs down the alleyway as her father's voice echoes throughout the area.

When he gets back to the headquarters, Felicity stares at him for a long moment. "She's okay?"

"Her dad found her before I left," he replies and pulls his weapons off. He gazes at the calendar. Tonight was one day before their first date anniversary. "How long do you think she'll be in the hospital if she's lost about three quarts of blood?"

"A week," Felicity answers. She clicks some keys and gazes at him. "She's at Sterling City General."

He nods and wishes her a good night. She smiles in response and shakes her head as he dashes out.

.

She feels a hand in hers when she blinks her eyes open. She turns and sees a familiar head of blonde hair sleeping on her shoulder. He tenses and his head snaps up at her subtle movement. He grins sleepily.

"What are you doing here?" she asks hotly. He points to her abdomen, where she can feel the stitches and bandage, and she fights the urge to curl toward him. "How did you know?"

He raises one eyebrow. They stare at each other for a few minutes and she sees the cocky gleam in his eyes. She narrows her eyes as she realizes he found her last night. "You wanted to protect me, but you won't stay away from me when I walk home late at night?"

"I just saved your life," he reminds her. She shakes her head at him. He glares in response.

"All or nothing, Ollie. That's how it's always been with us." She pretends her heart isn't about to break if he answers her silent request wrong. She hears him sigh a long breath out and feels his hand tighten on hers.

"Do you know what day it is?" he asks. She tilts her head at him. He frowns and then grins sheepishly. "Our sixth year first date anniversary."

"You remembered that?" she wonders. He nods. She chuckles softly and then groans at the pain that shoots through her body. He kisses her forehead and leans his against hers softly. She plays with his hair with her hand that's entwined with his. "You owe me a homemade dinner after this, you know."

He pulls his head back and his confused eyes meet hers. She feels the painkillers seep into her bloodstream. She smiles her version of his cocky grin. "I'm not about to let you go. You owe me a gigantic five course meal made by yourself… with only an apron on… in my kitchen… and… you better… be here… when I wake… up…"

He smiles as her eyelids flutter close. He keeps her hand in his and sends a quick text with the other. Diggle can handle one night solo. He gazes at her sleeping body. "You're my air."

He makes her two five-course dinners to make up for his asshole behavior. She tells him that she'll think about forgiving him.

_**A/N: I hope everyone liked it **____** Leave a review. **_

_**Anonymous, I hope you loved it and that this was worth the wait. **_


	6. Scoldings and Kisses

_**A/N: I got one more request from an anonymous person on tumblr. **_

_**Summary: Oliver pushes Laurel away because of Tommy's death and manipulates her into seeing him kissing Felicity. He realizes what a prick he's being and runs after her, apologizes, and confesses his love.**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or settings, DC Comics does. And I don't guarantee this one-shot will have a happy ending. **_

_**Enjoy!**_

Laurel was having a shitty week. She and Oliver haven't seen each other, her caseload is horrendous, and her father decided to bring his "I care about your future" lecture series back every time she talked to him on the phone. She rubbed her neck and shook the figurative dust bunnies out of her head while she leaned over her coffee table piled with the absurd cases.

She loved her job. But she became disappointed every so often when all the unusual or hard cases made it to her desk. This week wasn't any different. People depended on her and her staff to win. She couldn't function at high definition all the time.

Her phone buzzed and she tossed a folder aside. She read a text from Oliver and replied her confirmation for their dinner plans. She grabbed her coat and keys. She locked her door and practically skipped down her hallway with glee. It wasn't her excitement to see Oliver, but her selfish desire to walk away from her cases for one hour. He was a close second.

She walked a couple of blocks to the restaurant he, Diggle, and Felicity normally ate at. Laurel froze when she saw him in the middle of the sidewalk. Felicity was giggling at him. Laurel watched a blush creep up the genius's cheeks and Oliver give her a light peck on the lips.

She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. His gaze came over to hers. She saw his cold eyes turn astonished. Her palm itched to slap his relieved face. She knew what he was doing. She comprehended him better than he thought she did. And she wasn't going to let him get away with being an ass.

Felicity saw her and gasped. Laurel plastered a smile on her face and greeted Felicity calmly. She stated, "Felicity, can you give us a moment?"

Felicity nodded and rushed into the restaurant. Laurel tilted her head. Oliver gazed calmly back at her. In that instant, Laurel decided if she had the ability to rip his heart out and crush it, she would have gladly paid any price to do so. They stood facing each other in a tense silence.

"I'm sorry," he stated quickly. She shook her head. "I love you… I didn't mean to…"

"Don't lie to me." her voice cut his tirade off. He gazed back at her and she smiled at him. "I know what you're doing."

He raises both of his eyebrows. "It was an innocent kiss."

Laurel pointed a finger to his chest and pressed it into his muscular abdomen. "I'm not going to call you. I don't want you even know you exist for a week. You can wallow in whatever guilt you feel about stealing me from Tommy. I'll wait. Don't trample her heart. She's got too good of a heart to deal with you and your idiotically manipulative ideas."

His eyes harden and she smiled. "I'm not going to run out on you. I gave my heart to you, remember? But I need time to get over this fucked up game you're playing. When you're ready to play with your heart instead of your head, you know where I am."

She turned and walked away from him. She never saw his relieved smile.

_**A/N: Unfortunately, this was a short one. In my ideal world, Laurel can see through all of his bullshit and still put Oliver in his place when he needs to be. I hope that was conveyed in the story. **_

_**I'll hopefully update once more before the 9**__**th**__**. I'm not swearing any oath.**_

_**Oh, random realization… the last one-shot, I kinda made it like Malcolm and his wife situation for Oliver and Laurel, except Laurel makes it. I didn't figure that out until I finished writing this short story.**_

_**Please leave a review. I love constructive criticism and anything I can get my hands on for ideas. I've got a few plot bunnies rolling around in my head now, so I'll get them on paper within the next few days.**_

_**Until Next Time,**_

_**DBA**_


	7. Sidekicks and NGOs

_**A/N: Greetings and salutations. I have a couple of things to address before I get started:**_

_**I've been receiving a couple of reviews and prompts on tumblr (which has been awesome) and I wanted to respond to them here: First, thank you all so much!**_

_**Secondly, I'm sorry to the person that doesn't like the one –shots after the first three are over, but this is a series of one-shots. If you at all saw a possible storyline or are experiencing a plot bunny when you read those, I encourage you to write them up. I love to help other writers, even if it's for encouragement, and you can always pm me on tumblr or here. **_

_**So, I received a request to do a story where Laurel knows Oliver is the vigilante and they're still dating. I hope you like how I present it.**_

_**Usual disclaimers are in effect.**_

_**Enjoy!**_

Laurel knew the sidekick wasn't happy with this new arrangement. She knew he hated her calling him sidekick, instead of "Diggle" or "John", but until he stopped acting like a nincompoop, she was going to call him the sidekick. Men weren't the only ones who could waste time on their wounded prides. She knew he didn't like her relationship with Ollie, but he was going to have to suck it up.

She and Felicity worked together better than she'd anticipated. The first time they'd met post-identity revelation, Felicity had brought her in the equipment and said, "He can finally take you down off that pedestal. Thank God you know about everything… we're gonna have to get you formally debriefed soon."

After that, every time Felicity saw her, she'd ramble on about what she was working about and what it could accomplish. Laurel understood about fifty percent of what she was saying. Then, Laurel would confess about her job search and what her interviews were like. Felicity was an unexpected ally in a time of uncertainty. Laurel understood immediately why he relied on her.

"You're making yourself at home," someone's voice said sarcastically. Laurel looked over to see the sidekick watching her spread out some newspapers that held the classified for jobs. She grit her teeth and smiled at him.

"I wouldn't settle if you helped me find a job," she said sweetly. Felicity chuckled and swirled her chair around to them. Her eyes twinkled over as an idea came to her mind. She was about to speak when the door slammed open. The sidekick looked up and his eyes widened. Laurel sniffed a small amount of burning flesh and blood. She closed her eyes and looked over at him. He smiled weakly back at her.

"Sit him down on the table," she stated firmly. The training she'd received in her college days came flooding back to her as she went through the motions of cleaning his wounds and wrapping them where needed. He grumbled under his breath a few moments, but knew it was in vain when she glared at him.

"How did you know what to do?" the sidekick asked quietly. Before Laurel could take a breath in, Felicity answered.

"She was a nursing and government major in college. She decided law would be more practical for her than her RN experience," Felicity stated and swiveled her chair back to the screens. Laurel looked at the woman in amazement. Felicity returned her stunned look with a casual shrug.

"You'll get used to it," he whispered in her ear. She nodded and finally looked into his green eyes. He was exhausted but still looked at her tenderly. He kissed her palm calmly. "We need a new way to go about saving this city."

"Why not start a charity with Laurel as the legal department and head of PR? She's got the skills and the means to keep us in the loop about your new NPO," Felicity called above the sound of her typing.

"What new NPO?" Oliver asked with a weary sigh. Felicity grinned at the screens. Laurel gazed at him and saw his head shaking. "Want to tell us what you've done now?"

Felicity swiveled again in her chair. She put her hands together. Her grin was akin to those that evil geniuses wore when they revealed their master plans. Laurel let out a little laugh while Ollie gazed at Felicity seriously.

"It's totally the perfect cover! You run your company while setting up an NPO, or NGO, we're probably better going with the NGO, but it'd be focused on helping the Glades. Therefore, we'll know where people can get help and you don't need to be going around getting hurt every night," Felicity stated happily. Oliver nodded and took a minute to gaze at Laurel.

"It could work," he said quietly. She nodded and pressed her head against his shoulder. He smiled in response then turned back to Felicity. "I'm guessing you have the magic to start this NGO?"

"Already finished it," Felicity stated. "Laurel is the head of your PR and legal decisions."

Oliver felt Laurel's nod against his shoulder and he grinned. "I guess we better come up with a fancy name."

Felicity rolled her eyes. "Do you honestly think I didn't figure it out already?"

Laurel raised her head and put a hand on Oliver's shoulder. "You need some rest. We'll figure everything else out in the morning."

Oliver nodded. Diggle finally spoke. "We can meet you at the office at nine. I'm going home."

Felicity snapped her fingers and all her equipment went to sleep. "So glad I had that little software put in."

She and Diggle made their way upstairs, leaving Oliver and Laurel alone. They sat up on the table and looked at each other. He silently considered her for a moment.

"It's going to get even more complicated," he started. She raised an eyebrow and he laughed. "It won't be easy. I'm going to be moody, temperamental, and a pain when I'm lost on a lead."

"What hasn't changed?" she inquired. He laughed and she took both of his hands. "I told you before. I'm in this with you for the long haul. We honor Tommy by having you… amend your ways of dealing with things. I can help you spearhead your project to the skies. I want to make a difference with you at my side. There's nothing else I can do about that."

Oliver nodded and gave her a light kiss on the mouth. "We better start planning, huh?"

_**A/N: I'm sorry again that this is so mercilessly short. I haven't been feeling the Lauliver feels as much lately, so the ideas just haven't come quickly. Hopefully with this new season, they'll be back in full swing soon. **_

_**If it gets extremely sporadic with the updating after this chapter, I apologize. I offer no excuse, but the promise that there will be more one shots. I don't know when, but I will write them.**_

_**Until Next Time,**_

_**DBA**_


	8. Police Stations

_**A/N: I wasn't going to update this early again, but I felt like I needed to. So, I decided to write a quick one shot about Oliver's reaction to Laurel tricking him. **_

_**All disclaimers are in place.**_

_**I'm sorry if this is extremely short. **_

_**Enjoy!**_

Oliver froze momentarily when he heard the officers run into the office. His chest filled with pride. Her fire wasn't gone. She was still willing to do anything for the people that she loved, dead or not. He fought forming a grin on his face at her. He looked around and coughed awkwardly.

"You shouldn't have done this, Miss Lance," he whispered. The officers yelled at him to get down and put his hands up. His gaze stayed right on her. The fury in her eyes settled like a stone in his stomach. She wouldn't forgive him for a while after he did his escape plan.

He started lowering his bow to the ground. He reached for a smoke grenade and shot it at her feet. The fire alarm went off and people became distracted. He glanced at her for one small second and then ran through the offices toward his backup exit plan. He tapped his earpiece three times to signal a change of plans to Diggle. Yelling was heard behind him and muted as he ran out toward his conveniently moved bike.

The bike roared to life and Oliver Queen dodged a makeshift bullet again. He smiled and laughed all the way back to base. She was determined to get the best of him. Even when it never went her way, she always inspired the best.

And that was why he loved her stubborn ass.

_**A/N: Super short and probably not what's going to happen this week, but a girl can dream ;) I hope you liked it. We'll see on Wednesday (well for me Thursday because I got no cable) how Ollie gets out of this mess.**_

_**Until Next Time! **_

_**DBA**_


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